The Better Man
by KRiSTiNEDAHLiNG
Summary: Jesse St. James proves that he actually wants the best for Rachel even if that isn't him. Puck/Rachel
1. JESSE EFFIN ST JAMES

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SO I'M NOT 100% SURE WHAT THIS IS. HAHA. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. IT TAKES PLACE AFTER THE SERIES FINALE. **

**RATING: PG-13**

**DISCLAIMER: THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL SEASON TWO WOULD HAVE ENDED THAT WAY. **

**CHAPTER ONE: FUCKING JESSE ST. JAMES**

He was pretty sure his legs were going to give out on him. It didn't matter that he had been running this far every day since he got back from New York three weeks ago. It was like his legs refused to believe that they could handle the 10 mile run he continued to put them through first thing every morning. His heart was pounding so hard in his ears that he almost couldn't hear his music over it. Still it was a shit ton better than thinking about Rachel Berry and her perfect tits and legs that despite the fact that she was practically a midget went on for forever. Fuck how is it he always thought about her? No matter what the fuck he did he couldn't help but think about her except for miles 6 to 9 where he was so damn tired all he could think about is how the fuck Forrest Gump could have run across the country. Still as soon as he finished up mile 9 and was looping past their synagogue he of course started thinking about her again.

The shift in their relationship had started way before the New York trip. In fact it started over a year ago. That day when she washed the slushy out of his hair, he knew that he would never be able to get past her because when she looked at him it was like she didn't see him as the Lima Loser that Quinn proclaimed him to be. That didn't seem to last long though and so that day in the stands he pretended that their breakup was fine by him. After all he was a fucking man and men didn't cry when bite sized loudmouths picked Finn Hudson because after all everybody in Lima fucking Ohio would pick Finn. And so he resolved to do something completely out of character and be a good friend to Rachel. She sat with him and his mother at synagogue. He cleaned out her pool and watched the Ohio State game with her fathers, who actually seemed to like him. Every once in a while when no one from New Directions was around he even actually called her Rachel instead of Berry and he stopped shooting her looks when she called him Noah. It worked. It would have been more fun to make out and try to convince her to let him under her shirt but still it was almost fun being friends with her.

Still Finn was jealous. He didn't trust that Puck could just be friends with Rachel. So he took it one step further and for the most part stopped hanging with Berry. Hell he even told Finn how to fucking get Rachel back. And then he saw them making out on the stage like they weren't in the middle of trying to win fucking Nationals. It hurt. It probably hurt more than when Berry picked the fucking tall bastard the first time around. That last week of school he succeeded at avoiding them like the fucking plague. Since then he'd found himself running every morning because it was the only activity that distracted him. If this had been two years ago he would have coaxed one of his favorite cougars into the sack and that would have been enough. At this rate an orgy couldn't keep him from imaging what it would feel like to have Berry's legs wrapped around his waist and her hands worshipping his abs.

He took a deep breath as he rounded the corner that signaled the last half mile to his house. He pretended not to notice Mrs. Jennings beckoning him in what he could only guess was an attempt to coax him into her bed. Instead he waved quickly and sped up a little. By the time he reached his yard he was drenched in sweat and thought he might have died at least twice. Plus he couldn't stop fucking thinking about Rachel Berry. Why couldn't the universe just cut him a break for once in his fucking life? Why couldn't he have fallen for a girl who wasn't madly in love with his gentle giant of a best friend?

"Noah!" His mother called from the kitchen.

"Not now Ma," he hollered as he raced up the stairs. He knew she was going to ask why he didn't go synagogue. He also eventually knew she'd end up bringing up Rachel and the last thing he felt like was talking about this shit with her. In fact he would probably be more comfortable talking about why his father fucking walked out on them. He threw open the door to his room and was in the middle of pulling off his shirt when he suddenly realized that he was not alone. "Holy shit!"

"Hello to you too," Jesse greeted. He was kneeling in front of Puck's bookshelf checking out his impressive vinyl collection. "Your collection is impressive."

"What the fuck are you doing in my room dude?" Apparently his mother wasn't trying to ask him about synagogue. "And how the fuck did you know where I live?"

Jesse smiled that condescending smirk that only Rachel and Shelby found particularly endearing. "My aunt is Pepper Wallace."

Puck's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "No shit."

Jesse was used to this reaction when he talked about his mother's youngest sister. While her good looks hadn't been enough to get her a career in Hollywood it had been enough to score her a mansion and a husband that made millions. It also was enough to ensure that she was featured in at least one issue of the Lima Ledger every week.

"Your aunt is fucking hot. She taught me a lot." Puck wouldn't even call Pepper a cougar. She was more than that. Until Rachel she was probably the hottest fucking woman he'd ever laid eyes on. She was seasoned enough that she didn't mind telling him just how she liked it which in turn made him better in the sack than any high school kid should ever be.

"I bet she did," Jesse remarked in a tone that suggested he knew why exactly his aunt's face lit up when he mentioned Puck's name. "Anyway I didn't come here to discuss Pepper. I know it was you."

"For once St. James I can guarantee that whatever shit you think I did it wasn't actually me."

"Oh but you did," Jesse declared. "You are the one who told Finn how to win back Rachel."

For weeks it had been driving Jesse crazy. He just knew that Finn wasn't smart enough to come up with such a romantic plan himself. If there was one thing Jesse knew it was that Finn was actually as dumb as he looked. Then the other day he was talking with Rachel about Bette Midler when she suddenly remarked that she hadn't talked to Puck recently and then for some reason it all just clicked. He'd never been particularly quick at solving puzzles but after years of watching musicals he could recognize when someone was desperately in love with someone despite trying to hide it. He saw through Puckerman.

Puck tensed and stared at the record in Jesse's hands. Of course it was fucking Barbara Streisand. The first time Rachel convinced him to let her in his room she'd found that album. She'd stared at him in awe. He'd mumbled that it used to be his mom's and that being Jewish practically legally required you to be a fan of Babs. She didn't tease him like anyone else he knew would have. Instead all she did was ask where his record player was. "Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, it isn't."

"I care about Rachel. I know that my actions haven't always suggested that, but I do. She's passionate, beautiful, and talented. I want her to be happy even if it isn't with me." The fact that he felt this way terrified Jesse. He'd never been good at thinking about anyone other than himself. He was impossibly selfish and until he met Rachel Berry he thought that that just meant he had what it took to be a star. Once he got over his anger, sadness, and dismay that she picked Finn he realized that it wasn't because she hadn't picked him, but really just that he knew Finn would drag her down like an anchor.

Puck did his best to hide his surprise. While he still wasn't a fan of St. James he had learned to actually stand the dudes presence. He knew that there had to be something Rachel saw in him. She wasn't nearly as naïve as the rest of the group declared she was. Maybe he actually wasn't as bad as Finn constantly swore up and down he was.

"She misses you Puck. When we first went to dinner and caught up she spent half of the meal talking about you. I was surprised when she actually admitted that she was still pining for Finn because it definitely didn't sound that way. She told me about her nose and how you convinced her that it gave her character. She told me everything."

"He's my best friend."

"Listen I've been as kind as I can physically be in one day and I need to judge Britney's cat so I'm going to be blunt. Finn Hudson is a moron who'll never leave the state of Ohio for more than two weeks. You and Rachel are two good looking Jews who have this whole cliché connection going on. People say I'm an asshole because I put my wants and needs first. I see it as me just having the confidence to go after what I want. Go after Rachel. Letting Finn win is going to lead you to being a miserable womanizer whose closest friend is someone he can barely stand. Even I the guy with no legitimate friends recognizes how unhealthy of a situation that is."

"Dude I'm just trying to be a better man. I've already played the role of douchebag who steals his best friend's girl. I took it a step further and knocked her up too. I'm tired of playing that role."

"You already are the better man Puck. Take it from me. You should know that I'm not exactly forthcoming with the compliments unless I actually mean them or I've got something to gain from them." Jesse replaced the record before standing. "So this was nearly a worthwhile way to spend an hour. I'll tell Pepper you said hi."

Puck watched as Jesse left his room in such dramatic fashion he thought maybe Jesse would have been better off trying to go out with Kurt instead of Rachel. He shook his head and sighed before stripping off his clothes and climbing into the shower. He tried to do what he usually enjoyed doing in the shower especially since it had been months since the last time he'd gotten any. He thought about Pepper Wallace and her fake tits that she barely fit in the impossibly small bikinis that she strutted around in whenever he cleaned out the pool. Somehow though in the middle of thinking about Pepper's tits he found himself imaging Rachel's legs and the next thing he knew it was Rachel's voice moaning his name. He sighed and cursed Jesse St. James for showing up and complicating his already irritating fucking life.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SO WHAT DID YOU THINK? I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO SAY. SHOULD I CONTINUE? PART OF ME WANTS TO LEAVE IT AND ANOTHER PART OF ME THINKS I SHOULD ADD ONE MORE CHAPTER. LET ME KNOW. ALSO WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FINALE? SIIIIIGH! – KRISTINE.**


	2. ADELE FELDBERG

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'M GLAD THAT I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO LIKED JESSE. I KIND OF ACTUALLY THINK HIS CHARACTER ISN'T TERRIBLE. I THINK HE'S JUST AS CONFLICTED AS ANYONE ELSE ON THE SHOW. HE'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT RACHEL WOULD HAVE BEEN IF SHE HAD BEEN IN VOCAL ADRENALINE. I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS CHAPTER. YA'LL ARE AMAZING AND YOUR WORDS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME! – KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG**

**DISCLAIMER: STILL NOOOOPE. **

**CHAPTER TWO: ADELE FELDBERG **

- P - &- R -

In the five days that had passed since Jesse St. James abruptly popped in on Puck little had changed. He still found himself running ten miles every morning. He still found himself avoiding Rachel Berry like the fucking plague. The only new addition to his schedule was the fact that he was back to cleaning pools. Still even that was different for him now that none of the cougars he laid eyes on could hold a candle to Berry. It was like no matter how skimpy their bikinis or obvious their overtures all he could do was clean the pool and then get the hell out of there.

"Noah," Aviva whispered as she opened his bedroom door.

He groaned and rolled over trying to bury his head beneath his pillow, "Too early Ma."

"Noah wake up," Aviva coaxed, her voice still uncharacteristically gentle. After being a single mother who worked the second shift for over 10 years few people ever described Aviva as being anything other than a hardass, a beautiful survivor and loving mother, but a hardass all the same.

"Ma," he mumbled into his pillow before finally sitting up. Something about her tone made him realize that she wasn't just in here to bust his chops about not doing the dishes last night and allowing Hannah to watch Entourage with him. He sat up slowly and after blinking a few times to clear his vision could see that she'd been crying. "What's wrong Ma?"

"Adele Feldberg died last night."

"What? That's impossible. You were just saying the other day that she accompanied Rachel on the piano for a performance at church. Plus I saw her last week at the grocery store and she looked like her usual spunky self. She even gave me hell about my Mohawk. She was fine."

Puck gulped and closed his eyes in an effort to keep himself from crying because he wasn't about to be a pussy right then. The next thing he knew his mother was enveloping him in a hug. Adele Feldberg was like Queen of Lima's close knit Jewish community. Everyone loved, respected, and would do anything for her.

"Apparently her heart was bad," Aviva started to explain but stopped when she found herself getting choked up again. "She had a heart attack sometime last night."

Puck sat there silently trying to process the information. She'd looked like her usual bossy but always smiling self when he talked to her while they both waited on the bakery to put out fresh bread. He could still remember the way she told Max that he better not burn her bagels or else she'd have his tush.

"You should go check on Rachel. You know how close the two of them were," she instructed him softly.

Puck wanted to say he was sure that Rachel could cope but realized that not only would his mother be disappointed in that answer, but it wasn't true. He nodded and threw his covers off.

Aviva was just about to leave when she stopped in the doorway and looked back at her only son. "Listen Noah I know something has happened with you and Rachel but please don't hold that against her right now. She's going to need a shoulder to cry on. Rachel once told me that Adele was the closest she ever had to a mother figure growing up. Plus I think you'll find that being friends with her is a better alternative than this standoff you two are having for some reason."

Puck didn't say anything. Instead he smiled and nodded his head quickly before reaching into his dresser for a clean t-shirt. It wasn't until his mother was gone and his bedroom door was closed again that he let out the breath that he didn't realize he was holding.

- P - & - R -

"Noah," her voice was soft. She was obviously surprised by his sudden appearance, but for all intents and purposes she seemed even-keeled though her puffy eyes gave away that she'd been crying. "Come on in," she beckoned him moments later almost as if it was an afterthought.

Puck followed her inside, hands stuffed in his pockets, noticeably uncomfortable. He momentarily considered appreciating the view of Rachel's ass in the shockingly tight pants she was wearing, but felt guilty under the circumstances. He could hear her admonishment that he was such a pig. He was hoping that they would just sit in the living room, but instead they of course continued up the stairs to her frilly pink room.

"It's been a while," she noted as she sat down in front of her computer. "I saw you running last week while I was on the way to up some sheet music I ordered. I thought about waving, but you seemed pretty focused. Your mother said you've been running every morning since we got back from New York."

"Oh, uh yeah," he said as he awkwardly moved a couple of her fluffy and unnecessary decorative pillows on to the floor. "You know how important physical exercise and all of that shit is."

Rachel nodded, but didn't say anything. Instead she awkwardly organized some of the sheet music that she'd been looking over when she got the call this morning. 

He watched her. She looked so small and fragile, smaller than he'd ever seen her before. He knew she was pretending to be okay, but even Bette Midler couldn't have faked being okay after the suddenness of this bombshell. "Ma told me about…" he paused because even though he knew that Adele was gone it was hard to say it out loud. Finally he realized he couldn't finish his original thought and instead asked, "Are you okay?"

"We were supposed to have lunch tomorrow," Rachel whispered before looking up to meet his gaze. "She was going to help me work on music for next year."

He didn't say anything. Instead he just crossed the room and enveloped her in a hug.

"I always told her she ate too much red meat, but she wouldn't listen. You know how stubborn-," she paused as her voice cracked, "she was." And then she lost it.

He held her as she soaked his shirt with her tears. Somehow in the process of her crying he found himself also tearing up.

"I loved her Noah. I mean I really loved her."

"I know you did Rach and so did she."

"But there's something," Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath trying to prevent herself from hysteria that she could feel was just on horizon. "I was talking to her last night about Funny Girl and in the middle of talking about Barbara my phone beeped and I realized I had a call from Finn. I got off the phone with her to talk to Finn."

"Oh Rach…" Puck whispered softly into her hair.

"I'll never get that conversation back Noah. I'll never get to talk to her again."

"You can't beat yourself up about that decision. We both know Adele would have wanted to you talk to Finn. We both know that when you told her that you two were back together she was over the moon for you. I can hear her now saying oh Rachel I told you that a beautiful girl like you would get everything she deserved."

She couldn't help but smile at the way he exaggerated her name. That was exactly how she'd always said it. She wasn't Rachel, she was Raaachel. "That isn't exactly how the conversation went."

"No?" He didn't bother to hide his surprise.

"After the last breakup Adele wasn't Finn's biggest fan. Instead the conversation was more like you'd be better served dating a nice Jewish boy who wasn't content to bring you down all of the time. Then she mentioned running into you at the supermarket. She said I don't understand that boy's Mohawk but he's still a cutie if I've ever seen one." Rachel admitted. She hadn't been surprised when Adele said that she shouldn't give Finn another chance. She almost hadn't wanted to tell her, but knew that sooner or later it would come up. She was glad now that she hadn't kept it from her because she wasn't sure if she would have been able to handle the guilt of keeping such a big secret from her.

"She said basically the same exact thing to me at the supermarket. Not about me being a better choice for you, but that I was a good-looking Jew despite my insistence to keep sporting such a ridiculous haircut." He made a point to keep his tone light so that she wouldn't have anything to read in to. He knew from plenty of life experience that Jewish women were good at that.

Rachel chuckled softly before using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "It doesn't feel real."

"It'll take time," he explained. He could remember very clearly the day that his father left. In the weeks that followed he remembered feeling like his father was going to walk back through their door any moment even though he knew all too well that his father and most of their money was gone for good.

"Thank you for coming. I know that things between us have been strained at best, but it was nice of you to offer me your shoulder in my moment of need," Rachel said as she went into her bathroom to clean up. She cringed when she saw herself. She looked significantly worse than she thought. "And thank you for not saying something crude like you look so bad you could double as birth control."

He couldn't stop his eyebrows from rising in surprise. "That was a surprisingly vicious diss Rach."

"Thank it's a Santana Lopez original."

He cringed and started to ask when Santana had said that to her but stopped when he remembered the things kids at school used to comment on her videos.

"Stop feeling sorry for me Noah. Just chalk it up the old saying what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger," she told him, smiling weakly as she went into her closet to find something to wear. "That was even one of the better ones to be honest."

Puck was always amazed at how resilient she could be. This was the part of Rachel that he felt like the rest of the members of New Directions didn't recognize. She was always going to come back. She had the heart of a prizefighter. "What are you doing?"

"I have a dance class this afternoon. You should know that. I pick Hannah up on way every week."

"Rach don't you think-"

"There are little Jewish girls all over Lima who's hearts are broken because Adele is gone. The last thing I can do right now is cancel on them. We both know Adele wouldn't want me to."

He nodded and could tell by the look on her face that there was no talking her out of it. "You'll call if you need me?" He said as he stood. He hadn't realized how late it was until then. He needed to get across town to clean a pool for one of his few customers who didn't just keep him around because he was good eye candy.

She nodded.

He smiled and opened her door to leave. He was about halfway down the stairs when he heard her rushing behind him. He turned around and started to ask her what she needed when suddenly she was enveloping him in a tight hug. He relished the feel of her arms around his waist and the way her hair was this impossibly intoxicating mix of wildflowers and mango.

"Are we okay now?"

The words were mumbled so softly into his chest that he almost had to ask her to repeat herself. "Yeah, we are."

"Good because you're basically by best friend and I've really missed you."

His heart clenched at her admission. "I've missed you too."

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I REALLY LIKED THIS CHAPTER. I KNOW IT WAS REALLY SAD, BUT FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO MEND THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR THOUGHTS. SOME OF YOU HAVE REALLY HELPED ME FIGURE OUT WHERE I WANT TO TAKE THIS STORY. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! – KRISTINE.**


	3. KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN UPDATES. LIFE HAS BEEN HECTIC! HOPE YOU LIKE THIS. YOUR REVIEWS FOR LAST CHAPTER WERE AMAZING. THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS! – KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG-13 (PUCK HAS SOME SUGGESTIVE DIALOGUE.)**

**DISCLAIMER: NOPE!**

**CHAPTER THREE: KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART**

- P - & - R -

Puck had just finished cleaning a pool when he heard the familiar buzz indicating he had received a text message. He smiled when he found that the text was from Rachel. _Volunteered us to cook for Adele's memorial tomorrow afternoon, are you free? _He smirked and quickly replied he'd be over by in a couple of hours. After weeks of not talking, all had seemingly gone back to normal for the two in the last couple of days. His mother had not only noticed but commented that he'd seemed much happier. It seemed that in her death Adele had at least managed to do what no one had been able to, and that was remind Puck that being friends with Rachel was an all around better experience than being friends with Finn.

"All that running you've been doing has done absolute wonders for your already studly physique Puck," Ramona Higgins purred as she watched his back muscles ripple beneath his thin t-shirt as he checked the pH-levels of her pool.

He groaned softly and was not the least bit surprised when he found her staring at him intently in nothing more than a bikini so small it barely covered anything. There was a time when Ramona was one of his favorite cougars, but now she was proof of the man he'd been when he felt justified to think with his dick.

"Do you like my new bikini? I bought it just for you." She told as she did a little shimmy. She went to a spinning class across town three times a week and was a religious believer in the power of Pilates all in the name of making sure she didn't look like the mother to three preteens that she was.

"It's nice," he told her with a tight smile. He frowned when his casual answer made her pout openly. "Sorry I'm a little distracted Ramona. You look great."

She smiled knowingly, "What's her name?"

"How'd you know?"

"When it comes to being young and distracted it is almost always because of the opposite sex. Plus rumor has it you've finally discovered that there is something appealing about dating girls your own age."

He should have known that the women would start talking once he stopped his usual additional service and actually instead focused on just cleaning their pools. "Rachel."

"You're one of the good ones Puck so make sure this Rachel treats you accordingly."

He chuckled softly. If only Ramona knew the looks she'd get with that little statement of hers. He was pretty sure she was the only person who was worried that he wouldn't get treated the way he was supposed to. "You know I bet Mr. Higgins would be more than glad to appreciate all of the hard work you've put in to looking like you were only a couple of years out of college."

"Maybe I'll let him even though he certainly doesn't put in nearly as much work as me."

He snorted and shook his head because she was right. Scott Higgins might have been a successful real estate agent, but his beer belly and always tired expression made him look lucky to have scored a woman as hot as Ramona. Puck knew from several trips inside the house that once upon a time Scott had been significantly more attractive.

"I mean it when I say she better treat you right Puck, you're such a good guy that not only do you get the job done in the hay, but you also actually are good at cleaning pools. It's a lethal combination that never comes in a package as cute as you."

- P - & - R –

"You're early," Rachel said as she walked out onto her back porch and found Puck pouring chemicals into the pool. She'd been surprised when she pulled into her drive and found his truck parked in front of her house.

He looked up and smirked when he found her standing there in impossibly tight pants and a Bad Company concert t-shirt he recognized to be one of her father's. It was obvious she'd just taught one of her dance classes at the Jewish Community Center. "Your pool needed to be cleaned and I had time to kill," he explained as he stood up and wiped his hands on his shorts. "Nice shirt."

"Thanks its Daddy's."

"I know. What I don't know is how the hell you managed to fit into those tight pants. Seriously those things look like they were painted on you."

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him softly in the gut. "You're such a pig."

"Rach we both know that was not me being a pig. That was just me being observational. If I wanted to be a pig I would have said your pants are so tight when it comes time for me to get you out of them I'll have to bring knife with us to bed."

"Consider me informed," Rachel drawled in a tone that said you're obnoxiousness amazes me.

"So how is the number coming?"

Rachel had decided that the ultimate tribute to Adele should include a dance tribute from all of the girls in her various classes. Despite being last minute all of the girls had seemingly risen to the occasion in the name of honoring Adele and all she gave to the tight knit community.

"It's definitely taxing but all of the girls are working so hard so it's been a pleasure. Hannah really has been my saving grace though. I'm telling you that girl is a natural dancer."

He smiled because he knew Rachel was only saying this because she actually meant it. That was one of his other favorite things about her. She only paid compliments when she felt they were actually deserved. "She spends hours practicing."

"You know the only other thing we could really use now is for you to accompany us with your guitar. Adele was always a fan of yours."

"That's your best pitch?"

"We both know you love Adele enough that it doesn't take anymore than that," she shrugged in this casual way that would have made the rest of the members of the glee club look at her in surprise. Rachel was good at channeling most emotions and expressions except for casualness. She struggled with it so much it was nearly comical.

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Keep Me in Your Heart by Warren Zevon."

"There won't be a dry eye in the entire place," he noted but couldn't deny that it wasn't the perfect song to commemorate Adele's life.

She smiled weakly before replying, "Which is the way it should be."

- P - & - R -

It was two hours later when they were in the middle of preparing quiche for the memorial and listening to Rachel's favorite Motown station when Finn called. Puck watched in interest as she read his name and obviously paused before finally sighing and motioning that she was going to take the call. Despite the fact that she'd left the room to take the call he could still hear her assure Finn that Puck was just helping her clean. Her tone made it clear that she wasn't in the mood to have this argument with him and that it wasn't the first time this week that he'd complained about the amount of time that they'd spent together. Finally she groaned, said they'd talk later, and then hung up. The next thing he knew she was back in the kitchen singing along to the radio as though nothing had happened.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, focusing on the task of checking the quiche that had already been placed in the oven.

"Of course," she assured him softly.

"Are you sure?"

"It's nothing I can't handle Noah." She said him bravely, even going so far as to use his given name so that he would know she wasn't up for discussing it. "How does the quiche look?"

"Almost as good as me," he joked in an effort to break the tension.

As usual Rachel just rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the stomach this time saying, "Your vanity amazes me."

"Believe me I'm not the only in this kitchen with an ego." He shot back.

"But at least mine is well-deserved."

"Rach believe me I'm so good that just hearing about what I can do will make your toes curl."

Rachel shot him a look and let out an exasperated sigh. Still Puck couldn't help but think that her look suggested something along the lines that she actually didn't doubt his statement.

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: FLUFFY AND QUICK! I HAVE TO WARN YOU NOW THAT MY UPDATES MIGHT BE A BIT SPORADIC FOR A WHILE. I STARTED GRADUATE SCHOOL LAST WEEK AND MY HOMEWORK DOESN'T LEAVE ME MUCH TIME TO ENTERTAIN MY MUSE. I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS. IN THE NEXT CHAPTER WE'LL SEE A LITTLE DRAMA. THANKS FOR TUNING BACK IN! I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS. YOUR REVIEWS SERIOUSLY MAKE MY DAY. – KRISTINE. P.S. IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART YOU SHOULD CHECK IT OUT BECAUSE SERIOUSLY IT IS ONE OF THE BEST SONGS OUT THERE. **


	4. HER ROCK

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: ANOTHER UPDATE! I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU READ THE NOTE AT THE END PLEASE. THIS ONE IS A LITTLE DRAMATIC AT LEAST AT THE END. I HOPE YA'LL ENJOY IT! – KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG-13 BECAUSE I USED THE F-WORD SEVERAL TIMES**

**DISLCAIMER: YEAH, RIGHT. **

**CHAPTER FOUR: HER ROCK**

- P - & - R -

He couldn't help but think she looked beautiful. She might have been wearing a plain black dress that was longer than most of the miniskirts she wore to school. Her makeup might have been understated to the point that it consisted only of mascara and lipgloss. Her hair might have been pulled up in a bun on top of her head. Still somehow it all combined to make it almost impossible for him to stop staring at her in awe until finally Hannah elbowed him softly in the gut.

"Stop being so obvious," she muttered softly in that voice that nearly every preteen girl seemed to have. She'd suddenly developed it.

"Stop being annoying," he shot back because fuck if he was going to admit that he was being obvious.

On the tip of her tongue was another scathing remark but she let it die when she saw Rachel walking towards them. Instead she shot him a look that said don't be mad just because I'm not a dumb little kid anymore before saying hi to Rachel and rushing off to find to her friends.

"I'm so glad you're here," Rachel said as she enveloped him in one of her signature just short of air-constricting hugs. "Everyone is going to be here in an hour and almost nothing is ready."

Puck smiled knowingly. This was what made Rachel special. She cared about everything so much that when there was a chance it wasn't going to be perfect it nearly wrecked her. Of course at the very last minute she'd fucking get it together and everything would go off without a hitch. "What do you need me to do?"

"Will you help Dave set up chairs?"

"No problem," he assured her.

"You're the best Puck."

"You know you aren't the first girl to tell me that," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, "You do realize that this is practically a temple right?"

"I'm not the one who immediately jumped to the conclusion that there was some sort of innuendo hidden in there."

She wanted to be irritated with him, but then he had to use the word innuendo and well it just made her melt a little because she loved when he quit the tough guy façade and was the cute Jewish guy who every girl in her dance class whispered about. Instead she just shot him a look before smiling and rushing off to make sure that all of the dancers were getting stretched.

- P - & - R -

"I can't decide if you took my advice or not."

Puck looked up, startled, and was surprised to find Jesse St. James staring at him wearing an expression he couldn't quit place.

"You look surprised to see me."

"That's because I am. You aren't exactly Jewish which means there's little chance you knew Adele even though I'm sure you would have liked her."

"Has anyone ever told you that you sound smarter when you're away from that dreadful McKinley High School?" Jesse asked before adding, "And Rachel invited me but from what she's told me I'm sure you're right."

Puck chose to ignore the comment about him being smarter even though it was actually something that Rachel pointed out all the fucking time. She always asked how going to school actually seemed to make him even more of a Neanderthal. Instead he continued setting up chairs before finally saying, "It's good you didn't skip out on her when she picked Finn."

"You know Puck despite what people think I'm actually not that vile of a human being."

Puck didn't say anything but instead shot him a look that Rachel shot him often. It was a mix of disbelief and dismay.

"I'm not when I actually care about someone." Jesse clarified. "You and I have that in common you know. You didn't leave her either when we both know Finn has many times. Anyway none of that matters really as much as whether or not you took my advice."

"Listen St. James I barely take advice from my mother let alone some tool that until recently I wasn't sure had a fucking soul. You might have shit with Finn but the gentle giants one of my oldest friends and I'm not about to fuck that shit up just so you can say you succeeded in beating him." Puck told him coldly, refusing to make eye contact in fear that Jesse would be able to read him. Most people couldn't see past the blank expression that he'd developed after his father left them high and dry but he had a sneaking suspicion that just like Rachel, Jesse would be able to read him like a fucking Dr. Seuss book.

Jesse stared at him trying to figure out who the hell he was kidding before saying, "We both know this isn't about me beating Finn."

Puck stared at the floor for a minute before looking up to try to contest Jesse's point. He was eerily shocked when he found he wasn't standing there anymore. He looked around in the near vicinity. It was almost like the dude was fucking David Blaine or some shit.

- P - & - R -

She looked up when she heard the door to the small office open, thinking it was going to be Puck telling her that they were good to go on chairs so she could calm her tits or something equally ineloquent. Instead she was surprised to find Jesse standing there in an obviously meticulously picked outfit. "Jesse, what are you doing here?"

Okay so when Jesse told Puck that he'd been invited he was lying. Instead Rachel had casually mentioned it to him when he asked what she had been doing recently. Still when he learned that she was choreographing a tribute he'd of course had to come to support the only girl he could really call his actual friend who loved him for being something other than the lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline. "Supporting you," he said in the soft, caring voice that only Rachel knew he even had.

"That's so sweet of you," she replied as she furiously dabbed her eyes with a tissue. Despite the fact that Rachel was in touch with her feelings she wasn't one to cry as much as her fellow glee club members would have guessed. In fact she couldn't remember the last time that she'd cried as much as she had in the days since learning the news about Adele. One minute, usually when she was with Puck, she would be fine, and the next when she was by herself, and allowed to really think about the fact that Adele wouldn't be there anymore, she'd absolutely lose it. She squeezed his hand and motioned for him to sit down. "I thought you were heading back to California."

"I am but I have a few things I want to handle here before I do."

She nodded, silently wondering if his answer was as vague as she thought it was.

"I saw Puck out there. Is that his name? The one with the Mohawk and the permanent I'm a badass scowl," Jesse pretended to be the in the dark because it was easier this way. He hoped that if she didn't know that he actually knew of Puck's existence that she'd never know that getting them together was the thing that he had to handle before he headed back to California hopefully better prepared for the harshness of rejection.

"That's Puck."

"So you two are friends again?" He asked alluding to the conversations they'd had in the lead up to nationals.

"He's been my rock since this whole thing with Adele. It was the strangest thing before the news he wouldn't even glance my away for more than a millisecond and after the news he has been by my side for everything."

"Shouldn't Finn be your rock?"

Rachel chuckled softly. It never ceased to amaze her at how good Jesse was good at getting a dig in at Finn.

"This isn't just me getting in a dig at Rachel despite what the smile on your face suggests. I really just wonder why your boyfriend's best friend is the one standing by your side and setting up chairs instead of your actual boyfriend. I mean he may be a moron but even he can set up a chair." He flashed a weak smile that said now that one was an actual dig.

"Puck's Jewish too. He grew up with Adele just like I did." Rachel explained though what she didn't say was that part of the reason she couldn't imagine turning to Finn right now was because Adele didn't want her to be with him. She couldn't shake the feeling that that just wasn't right.

Jesse nodded obviously unconvinced despite her attempts to convince him of her logic. "What song are the girls going to dance to?" He changed the subject before this somehow became a heated argument and his being here did more harm than good.

"Puck's going to play Keep Me in Your Heart."

"There isn't going to be a dry eye in the house."

"That's exactly what Puck said and what I'm hoping for. A woman as beautiful dramatic as Adele deserves a poignantly dramatic tribute." Rachel looked up at the ceiling and found herself started to get choked up again. Everything about today seemed to suddenly be getting to her. On the drive over this morning she'd heard Swim by Jack's Mannequin. It had her crying so badly she'd had to actually pull over at a rest stop to get her emotions in check before she could continue on to the Community Center.

He reached out and gently squeezed her knee, "You're going to be stronger because of this Rachel. This is going to make you a better performer. Even though I didn't know Adele from what you've said I think she'll appreciate that."

Rachel placed her hand on top of his knees and stared into his eyes about to thank him for his kind words when the door to the small office opened. Again she looked up expecting Puck and again she was surprised to find someone else. This time though it was Finn and by the way his eyes instantly travelled to Jesse and then to his hand on her knee it was obvious he was pissed. She stood quickly, "Finn what are you doing here?"

"Supporting you, but apparently you found other people that you thought were better suited for the job." He said casting an angry glance at Jesse who of course was sitting there looking impossibly smug. "I'm going to go now."

"Finn, don't…" she pleaded quietly as she chased after him down the long hallway. "He was just comforting me."

He stopped and turned to look at her. "Yeah right Rachel. I may not be as smart as you but I'm not that stupid."

"Stop being so impossible," she told him, her voice revealing just how tired she was despite her best efforts to hide it.

"Why is he here Rachel? Shouldn't I be the one in there comforting you? I'm ready to be needed if only you would actually need me for once."

She stood there staring at him. She couldn't come up with a single thing to say. Her eyes widened in surprise though when suddenly Puck turned the corner with Dave.

Finn saw her eyes and turned around only to come face to face with his best friend. He looked at Rachel and didn't say anything. Instead he looked at Puck and whispered, "What the fuck man?"

"Dude watch your language this place is practically a temple," Puck echoed Rachel's earlier sentiments even though just twenty minutes before he'd been cursing at Jesse St. James.

Finn didn't say anything. Instead he just scoffed and pushed Puck out of the way.

"What the hell was that Rach?" Puck asked.

"He walked into the office and found me sitting there with Jesse who was just trying to comfort me. He got angry and apparently seeing you sent him over the edge." Rachel explained. She was torn between chasing after him and just letting him walk away.

"I'll go talk to him," he offered even though it was the last thing he felt like doing. He didn't even let her say whether or not she wanted him to. Instead he just jogged hoping that he'd be able to catch him before he drove off.

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: WHAT'D YOU THINK? I CAN'T DECIDE WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE? THE RESPONSE FOR LAST CHAPTER WAS ALMOST NONEXISTENT SO I'M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE ARE LOSING INTEREST IN THIS STORY. IF THEY ARE THEN THAT'S FINE I'LL JUST FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF OTHER STORIES I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT HAVE A TENDENCY TO FALL TO WAYSIDE BECAUSE OF MY LOVE TO WRITE ABOUT PUCK/RACHEL. JUST LET ME KNOW. YA'LL ARE AMAZING FOR READING. – KRISTINE. **


	5. PROOF OF A SOUL

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: YOUR REVIEWS FOR THE LAST CHAPTER WERE AMAZING. THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS. I HAVE OBVIOUSLY DECIDED TO KEEP TRYING TO PLOW AHEAD WITH THIS STORY. I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER. - KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG-13 BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF F-BOMBS**

**DISCLAIMER: UH, NO. **

**CHAPTER FIVE: PROOF OF A SOUL**

- P - & - R -

"Dude what the fuck is wrong with you?" Puck demanded the moment he reached Finn in the parking lot. It had taken every bit of self control that Puck had to keep him from shoving Finn to punctuate his question.

Finn narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Dude don't freakin' stand here and act like you wouldn't be pissed if you were in my situation. You know Jesse St. James is a dick who seems to get off on screwing with me."

"The only dick I see right now is you. Someone fucking died Finn. Someone really fucking important to the entire Jewish community, but especially to your girlfriend died. Do you understand that? You just showed your ass before a memorial that Rachel has busted her ass putting together."

"A memorial that I wasn't invited to by either of you," he pointed out bitterly. "I thought you weren't going to hang out with her anymore. I told you that needed to happen for us to be friends again and you agreed. What happened to that?"

"You're fucking joking right?"

"You agreed." Finn reminded him.

Puck threw his arms up and stared at Finn in dismay. "We aren't going to the fucking movies together Finn. This is a memorial. Adele was my grandmother's best friend. My mother would have kicked my ass if I hadn't helped Rachel."

"Why do you keep calling her Rachel? You always call her Berry."

Puck shrugged as if he didn't understand why Finn was making such a big deal out of a simple name change even though he knew that for once Finn was actually making a relevant observation. "Rachel? Berry? What's the difference?"

"See this is the shit that makes me uncomfortable with you hanging out with my girlfriends. You can stand her and act all innocent but we both know you have a thing for Rachel. You probably already have a plan for how you're going to convince her to stray." He spat.

Puck couldn't help but think if only you fucking knew. If this had been a year ago he probably would have even said that and added a bitter laugh just to punctuate how big of an asshole he was. "Why can't you see that this is a memorial and not something meaningless like a fucking school dance? Finn you can get the fuck over yourself and go in there and apologize to Rachel or you can fucking leave. I honestly don't give a shit. I need to go back inside to help."

"You mean to kiss Rachel's ass and listen to Jesse St. James talk about what a prick I am. Just remember that every girl when given the choice will pick me especially Rachel." Finn told him before fumbling in his pocket to pull out the keys to his truck.

He knew he should walk away. He knew that if he didn't that whatever happened now would signal the end of their friendship. Puck let out a deep sigh and before he could even think twice he hauled off and punched Finn square in the jaw because truth be told their friendship wasn't worth it anymore. He flexed his fingers and cringed when he thought about the way it would hurt when he played his guitar. Still when Rachel asked him later what the hell he was thinking he knew all he'd say was that it had been worth it.

- P - & - R -

"Well done," Jesse told Puck the moment that he walked into the community center. He was supposed to be ushering people to their seats, but mostly he'd been staring out one of the back windows watching Puck and Finn's altercation while allowing Dave to do all of the ushering. He'd thought it was going to be boring and tame until Puck hauled off and socked Finn with such a force that he laid the giant out on his ass. "I wish I had brute strength like you. That's definitely not going to make playing the guitar feel very good." He noted as he watched Puck flex his fingers.

"Listen just please don't say anything to Rachel. I doubt she'll be as excited as you are." He wished he was better at walking away. If his mother had been there she would have made some comment about how sometimes he was too much like his father. It was the kind of comment that made him want to break something even though her tone was never malicious but rather just casual with even a hint of amusement thrown in there.

"I won't." He assured him even though they both knew that Rachel would find out eventually. Finn wouldn't let Puck get away with it. "What'd he say to make you lose it like that?"

He paused before finally giving in because he knew enough to know that Jesse would push him until he told him. "That if given the choice she'd always pick him." He scratched the back of his head and shrugged trying to pretend that they hadn't hurt him worse than any words he could ever imagine. They somehow hurt even worse than Quinn's declaration that he'd always be a Lima Loser. They even hurt worse than his mother's comment that sometimes he was too much like his father. He had a feeling it had a lot to do with the fact that he was almost certain that Finn was right on this one. He could prevent becoming a Lima Loser. He could avoid the habits that always plagued his father. Still it had yet to be seen if he could make Rachel realize that she should pick him. "I better go help Dave."

Jesse didn't even get a chance to say anything in response. Instead Puck quickly walked away and assumed his usher duties as though someone hadn't thrown his biggest fear in his face. And again he couldn't help but think that it was a travesty that no one saw Finn Hudson for the prick that he was. If only the good people of Lima could understand that beneath that Mohawk and badass scowl Noah Puckerman was actually one of the best guys they had to offer. If only Rachel could see that. Then he'd be able to hop on a flight to California and resume his life of issuing blistering criticism.

- P - & - R -

"How'd it go?" Rachel asked Puck once he joined her in the small space they'd designated as a dressing room.

Puck frowned as he stared at his guitar pretending to be consumed with tuning it even though they both knew he never left home without tuning it beforehand. "I couldn't convince him to come inside."

"Well that's alright," Rachel assured him. She reached down to squeeze his hand and was surprised when he noticeably cringed. She searched his eyes for an answer before glancing back down at his hand. It was then she saw that it was swollen and bruised. "You punched him." She stated rather than asked.

He closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see the disappointed look he knew to expect before nodding.

"Noah…" she whispered in the soft tone that always made him think she'd be a great mother one day. It was the kind of tone that seemed to ask what am I going to do with you.

"I'm sorry Rach I just-" he started to explain.

"It's fine. I'm sure he deserved it. He was being irrational and dramatic."

He looked up and was surprised to see that she was smiling. Their faces were close together. They were so close in fact that if he leaned forward even an inch their lips would connect. A year ago he would have closed the distance and let the consequences be damned. Now he did the last thing his body wanted which was sit up so that they were no longer sitting as close.

Rachel bit her lip and stared off in the distance momentarily before explaining, "Honestly I didn't even want him to attend. I can't shake the feeling that Adele wouldn't have wanted it. That's why I just didn't mention it."

He was surprised. He knew that Adele hadn't been Finn's biggest fan, but apparently her feelings had been fairly set in stone for Rachel to not even have asked him to come.

"Thank you for being my rock. I really don't think I would have been able to get through this without you by my side." She said before wrapping him up in a tight hug. "You really are the best friend I've ever had Puck."

He relished the feeling of her warm hug even though he hated the way being her best friend made him feel. If this had been a movie he would have said something like I want to be more than just your friend and issued some sort of ultimatum. Instead because it was real life he said something along the lines of ditto and then Hannah told them that it was time for them to go out there.

- P - & - R -

"Adele meant the world to me. She was my confidence. She was the person I turned to when times got tough. She was everything. I love her so much that I'd honestly give up my voice to have her back even though she'd berate me for it." Rachel joked softly as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. "If there was one thing Adele loved more than life itself it was a good show so in her honor I thought we would give her one."

"I'm Noah Puckerman and I'll be accompanying the girls of Rachel's dance class. This is Keep Me in Your Heart. We love you Adele." He told the audience before launching into the familiar chords.

- P - & - R -

Jesse wasn't much for showing emotion unless it was well-choreographed and artificial. Still he couldn't help but choke up as he watched the girls dance effortlessly around the stage while Puck crooned in a way that Jesse hadn't thought was possible. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a handkerchief to dab at his eyes. When the performance was done he stood up and applauded them with such wild abandon he almost didn't recognize himself.

After the show he waited patiently for Puck to finish talking to all of the people that had attended the memorial. It took longer than he'd imagined. Apparently when in the presence of his people Puck knew how to feign politeness.

"Dude who knew you had actual emotions," Puck pointed out when he joined Jesse. He'd been surprised when he made eye contact with the performer and saw that he was crying what appeared to be actual tears.

"Who knew you were so talented." He pointed out not even recognizing Puck's dig because honestly it had been several years since Jesse had last cried and even he hadn't been entirely sure if his tear ducts worked properly.

Puck smirked because he was starting to appreciate the way that Jesse delivered his jackass observations.

"I'm going to be leaving soon which means I won't be here to push you towards making a romantic overture towards Rachel. That doesn't mean I won't still be observing and willing from California."

"I wouldn't expect any less."

He smiled and nodded. "You're a good guy Puck. She's going to realize sooner or later that you're the right choice for her. I just know it."

Puck started to question his confidence when suddenly Rachel, Hannah, and his mother as well as Rachel's fathers were flanking him offering kind words on his singing. Instead he just had to smile and nod as if to say let's hope you're right before looking down at smiling at Rachel who had tears in her eyes. He smiled at her before whispering in her ear to ask if she was okay.

"It just wasn't easy to let go," Rachel whispered back. "You were wonderful Puck. I'm sure Adele is watching over us wondering out loud why you didn't pursue singing with as much enthusiasm as you did chasing skirts."

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I HOPE YOU LIKED THAT. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL INCLUDE THE AFTERMATH OF THE FIGHT BETWEEN PUCK AND FINN. ALSO I WILL BE INCLUDING ANOTHER GLEEK FOR PUCK TO HANG OUT WITH BECAUSE HE DEFINITELY IS IN SEARCH OF A NEW BRO. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO SAY. YOUR REVIEWS ALWAYS MAKE MY DAY. YA'LL ARE THE BEST! - KRISTINE. **


	6. DAWSON'S CREEK

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SORRY IT TOOKA WHILE TO UPDATE. I'M IN GRAD SCHOOL. IT DOESN'T LEAVE MUCH TIME FOR UPDATING. I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS CHAPTER. **

**RATING: PG-13 BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SWEARING**

**DISCLAIMER: YEAH, RIGHT. **

**CHAPTER SIX: EFFIN' DAWSON'S CREEK**

- P - & - R -

It only took a day for him to go back to running. It all started with a late night voicemail from Rachel where she explained that Finn had apologized and admitted he was in the wrong adding just before she hung up another thanks as well as a see you tomorrow. Of course hearing her voicemail first thing this morning he had absolutely no intention of joining his mother and sister for temple. Instead he had chosen to throw on a pair of ratty shorts, grab his iPod, and haul it out the front door before his mother could guilt him into coming with them. He took a deep breath and relished the way his muscles ached as he pushed himself through his fourth mile.

He felt stupid for believing that she was going to pick him. Just because she was grateful for all his help didn't mean that she was suddenly going to realize that Finn was a dick who was just going to drag her down. Shit like that didn't happen in real life. This wasn't fucking Dawson's Creek. He wasn't Pacey and she wasn't going to figure out that just because you put someone on a pedestal didn't mean that they actually deserved to be up there. He looked to his left and was surprised to see a truck driving right alongside him. He was about to turn down the street in fear that it was one of his cougars about to proposition him for an early morning roll in the sack when he looked closer and realized that sitting behind the wheel was none other than Sam. Finally he stopped running and waited for Sam to pull over before pulling out his earbuds and leaning in his passenger side window. "Hey," he said gasping only slightly for air.

"Dude, how far did you plan on running?" Sam asked in awe. He had been on the way to the grocery store for his mother when he first saw Puck. That had been twenty minutes and nearly two miles ago.

Puck shrugged before replying nonchalantly, "I've done four and was planning on going like five."

"Whoa you are going to be in sick shape when the season starts. I wish I was as committed as you. I've honestly spent more time working on music for glee than I have getting back in shape." He admitted sheepishly.

"That happens when you start dating a powerhouse," Puck pointed out. "And believe me all this running has more to do with the fact that it clears my head and less to do with football next season. In fact I'm thinking about not even playing."

"Dude I hear you on that one," Sam said as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He hadn't actually said as much to anyone before, but the thought had been there in the back of his mind. In Tennessee football, comic books, and theories about Lost had been enough to make him happy. Now that he had found a love in singing outside of the shower as well as a girl who didn't wrinkle her nose in distaste when he nerded out he didn't think football had a place in his life in Ohio anymore. "You want to hang out? It sounds like you maybe could use someone to talk to."

Normally Puck would have made some smartass comment about just needing to find a cougar to work his issues out another way and then he would have told Sam he'd see him later. Still that didn't feel like enough this time so instead he nodded and hopped in the truck.

- P - & - R -

Rachel frowned when she walked into the already full temple and found that Puck had decided not to join his mother and sister. She had been looking forward to seeing him and would be lying if she said that she hadn't had him in mind when she picked out the dress she was wearing early this morning.

"Morning Rachel," Hannah said as she moved over so that she could sit down. "I love your dress."

"Thanks Hannah," Rachel replied squeezing the young girl's hand appreciatively as she flashed Aviva a smile. "You look beautiful this morning."

"You really think so?" Hannah asked as she glanced down at the outfit that her mother had picked out for her this morning.

"Of course I do," she assured her before leaning down and whispering softly, "And I'm sure Adam will too."

Hannah looked at her in surprise and blushed wondering how it was that she knew about her crush. She hadn't even told her friends about her interest in him.

"Don't worry your secret is safe with me," Rachel told her chuckling softly.

"Promise because Puck would totally tease me if he knew." She loved her big brother. She really did, but he loved to torture her about things like this.

"I promise," Rachel assured her before asking, "He didn't want to come this morning?" She made sure her voice sounded innocent because she knew Hannah and Aviva would both read into the question if she didn't.

"I guess not. He was already gone when I knocked on his door to ask if he was coming."

Rachel started to comment on how weird she thought that was in hopes that Hannah would provide a theory as to where he was instead. She had to stop though when the Rabbi took his place at the front. Still she couldn't the thought that it all sounded more than a little strange. She made a note to call and check on him before turning her attention towards the front.

If she had been really listening to what the Rabbi was saying she might have noticed that even though she was supposed to be in love with Finn she couldn't stop thinking about Puck.

- P - & - R -

"Dude," Sam replied in surprise once Puck was finished telling him all about his life after they returned to Lima. "And here I thought Jesse St. James was just a dick."

"He is a dick, but once you look past his asshole persona he's actually a fucking decent dude." Puck had slowly started to come to the realization that he had a lot in common with Jesse St. James. Honestly the only difference in the two was that Puck could not only talk the talk but actually walk the damn walk too.

Sam laughed and shook his head. "So if you're supposed to be convincing Rachel to pick you why were you pulling a Forest Gump and running like your life depended on it instead of sitting at temple complimenting her. I'm not good girls, but even I know that is the obvious right choice."

"I would be except I'm done playing this bullshit game with Finn where I try to convince girls to see past his goofy ass charm. I don't feel like chasing her."

"I know what you mean. I still can't get over the fact that Quinn picked Finn over me."

"Q just wants to be a queen bee and she thinks that dating someone whose name rhymes with hers is step one to making that happen. Believe me I learned that shit the hard way. Bitch never stopped looking for an upgrade when we were trying to make it work."

"We both know Rachel isn't like that."

Puck was about to point out that as long as she thought Finn was the right guy for her then he really couldn't speak to what she was like when he was distracted by the sound of his phone buzzing his pocket. He pulled it out expecting to see his mother's number flashing on the screen and was instead greeting by Rachel's smiling face. He stared at it flirting with the idea of answering it before silencing it and setting it aside.

"Dude…" Sam said but didn't comment any further. Instead he just let his eyes drift to the phone. He stared at it until it buzzed again to notify Puck that Rachel had left a voicemail. "You're being a pussy."

"I'm not fucking being a pussy."

"Yes. You. Are." Sam shot back stressing each word as he said them.

"You don't get it. I'm tired of feeling like a dumbass because I can't seem to beat Finn at anything other than a fucking dance contest."

"Dude you're seriously underestimating your ability to screw and play guitar," Sam pointed out trying to relieve some of the newfound tension in the room.

Puck rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling determined not to make eye contact with Sam or look at the blinking light in the top right corner of his phone demanding that he listen to what she had to say. He already knew it was just going to be rapid fire questions about why he had skipped temple and if he was okay. No one could fit more questions into a 30 second voicemail than she could.

"You know it means something that she called. You don't want to admit that and that's cool, but we both know I'm right."

"You're starting to give me a headache like St. James does. You two should start a club. You can call it the 'I fucking bust Puck's balls like it'll make me a fucking millionaire club'."

"Kind of a long title, but I guess we can work on it," Sam joked.

Puck rolled his eyes and punched Sam in the arm.

- P - & - R -

Rachel's eyes lit up when she heard a gentle knock on her bedroom door. "Come in!" She instructed figuring that it was just before one of her Dad's coming to check on her. Since Adele's death they'd seemed to be in constant worry that she was in need of extra emotional support.

"What on earth are you wearing?" Kurt asked the moment he walked into the nauseatingly girly room and laid eyes on her.

"Kurt," she greeted warmly before looking down at her outfit realizing that he was surprised to see her dressed down. She knew that her peers at Lima didn't think she owned anything remotely this normal. "I do own loungewear you know."

"I know I just expected it to be something over the top that could potentially hurt the eyes if you stared at it too long," he teased.

She smiled and rolled her eyes. Whereas this type of criticism used to be able to get under her skin and would have resulted in her making a catty and over the top criticism in response she now was able to see it for what it was a little teasing between friends. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she motioned for him to have a seat on her bed. They'd talked only a couple of time since the meltdown that was Nationals mostly she'd allowed him to be wrapped up in his impossibly sweet relationship with Blaine.

"I wanted to check on you. I heard from Finn about your music teacher's death."

"And the resulting fight that it had caused," she added knowingly.

"Maybe I heard about a little of that too," he admitted. "Still how are you?"

"I'm okay. Honestly I was a wreck about a week ago, but I'm better now. It hurts, but isn't it supposed to when you love someone."

"I think so."

She smiled and nodded taking a moment to take a deep breath and collect herself before the thought of Adele made her start to tear up like it still had a tendency to do.

"Finn said Puck and Jesse were at the memorial supporting you." He added because even though his main priority was to make sure that he was okay he had to know if his stepbrother was exaggerating or not.

"Puck knew Adele so you could say it was more like we were supporting each other and yeah I happened to mention the memorial in passing to Jesse and he showed up."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but I can't help but wonder why you didn't invite him."

"He didn't know her. I needed to rely on someone who knew her. I can understand why it might be hard to see my side in picking Puck to be that person but it was the right choice. Finn would have tried to make it better, but we both know when you lose someone like that you don't want anyone to make it better. You just want someone who can understand and share in the ridiculously funny stories that you both have about that person."

"We would have all be there for you Rachel," he told her softly.

She smiled sadly before replying, "I honestly didn't need you guys. You know when you look past all of the bullshit Puck is a really amazing guy."

He titled his head to the side and stared at her curiously.

"What?"

"I don't know I guess if I didn't know how long you'd been pining for Finn I would think you'd fallen for Puck."

Her eyes widened in surprise, "I think you're reading into this too much."

"Maybe," he said but it was obvious that he was not convinced. "How is it you always find the best in the people that everyone else thinks there is almost no good in?"

"Maybe it's because people think that same thing about me."

"No people think you are success hungry, but people mostly think Puck and Jesse are assholes."

"You're being kind and allowing our friendship to rewrite our history in your mind. You thought I was an asshole that needed to be knocked down a few pegs when we first met." She reminded him softly cringing slightly as she thought back to the time when she honestly couldn't say she had a single friend in the world other than Adele.

"You know Finn doesn't like you being friends with either one of them."

"And we both know I'm not Quinn and I won't let him make those kinds of choices for me."

He smiled and nodded struck again by how impressive Rachel really was when you got past her diva antics.

"Thank you for coming to check on me Kurt. It was kind of you."

"I'm just glad you had Puck when you really needed someone."

"So am I," she said softly. "So am I."

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: OKAY SO I HAVE BIG IDEA FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS WILL REVIEW AND PROFESS AS MUCH EXCITEMENT AS I HAVE FOR IT AND IT'LL INSPIRE ME TO WHIP IT UP QUICKLY. WHAT DID YA'LL THINK OF THIS CHAPTER? I INCLUDED SAM AND KURT AND HONESTLY WISHED I COULD HAVE WORKED IN MORE JESSE BECAUSE SOMEHOW I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HIM. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND HOPE THAT WILL INSPIRE THE NEED TO UPDATE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. YA'LL ARE AMAZING! - KRISTINE. **


	7. MIAMI OF OHIO

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: THANKS FOR TUNING BACK IN. YA'LL ARE AMAZING! - KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG-13 CAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF SWEARING**

**DISCLAIMER: UH, NO. **

**CHAPTER SEVEN: MIAMI OF OHIO **

- N - & - R -

"Mom said you have to take me with you to clean pools today," Hannah told him before quickly returning her attention to the television show was watching. He glanced at the TV and rolled his eyes when he saw that it was the one about the triple threat that went to a fine arts high school in Hollywood. Despite being overwhelmingly hot, somehow things rarely worked out for her the way they were supposed to. Suffice to say it was one of his least favorites.

"Isn't it Tuesday?" He asked as he bent down to tie his sneakers. He frowned when he saw that a small hole was forming in the right one. Apparently even his sneakers were getting worn out from the running that he'd been putting them through lately.

"Dance was cancelled," she answered letting out a sigh so deep that it suggested this conversation was causing her actual pain. He was reminded again that she was on the brink of that painful age where she would be moody and thing that the whole world was against her.

"Rachel never cancels class," He replied, frowning as he tried to figure out if Hannah was bullshitting him. He could still remember telling her that she didn't have to go after learning about Adele's passing and her insistence that the girls needed class then more than ever before.

"I know. She said she had something to do today that couldn't be rearranged and that we would just have class tomorrow instead."

"But she didn't say what she had to do?" He asked unable to wrap his mind around this development. He couldn't think of anything that Rachel would have to do that she'd be willing to skip a class for. Seriously she was like a one-woman crusader for the importance of fine arts in children's lives.

"No. Why don't you call her and ask her yourself." She suggested even though they both knew that he and Rachel weren't talking right now and hadn't been since the morning after Adele's memorial. She'd tried to ask him a couple of times what had happened, but he stone-walled her and just said that she should focus on shit that actually was her business.

He shot her an exasperated look. "Well if you're going to come with me then you need to hurry up and get dressed."

"We aren't going to go for a run are we?" She asked as she stood and noticed that he was wearing his sneakers. "Because I don't run."

"I know you don't Miss Priss shit. Just hurry up and get dressed before I'm late for my first appointment."

"Hey I was just making sure," she said, throwing her hands up in defense before running upstairs.

As he watched her go he couldn't help but be struck again by the question as to what the hell Rachel could have going on that she would actually cancel one of her dance classes.

- N - & - R -

"Isn't it awesome?" Finn asked as he parked his truck and took in the main campus.

Rachel took in their surroundings before smiling and nodding. The truth is that her smile had more to do with the way his hand felt as he grabbed hers and less to do with Miami of Ohio's sprawling campus. Still she decided he didn't need to know that especially when it was obvious that he was over the moon about this place.

"I'm so glad you came Rach," he whispered as he removed his hand from her grasp before wrapping it around her shoulder and pulled her close. "I know you feel guilty about cancelling that dance class, but I think this is going to be worth it."

She frowned momentarily as she remembered the disheartened looks on her classes' face when she told them that there would be no class today. Even the suggestion that they would just go tomorrow did little to appease them, which actually made her kind of happy. It was nice to know that they took her class as seriously as she did.

When he had initially suggested that she come she had agreed because she knew how much it meant to him. She could still remember how excited he sounded when he called and said that the head football coach at Miami had called to invite Finn for a visit. Still when she had initially agreed she hadn't realized that it would take place on a Tuesday. After first she had simply told him that she couldn't do it. She had just kept repeating that it wasn't fair of her to cancel on her girls. Eventually she relented when he said that he really wanted to share this moment together and that he would change the meeting if he could. Still the entire ride from Lima to Oxford her stomach had been in knots as she thought about her students.

"It's just one class Rachel. It isn't the end of the world for them." He reminded her. "Plus maybe you'll find that Miami of Ohio could be the right choice for you too."

She looked up at him and flashed him a weak apprehensive smile. Deep down she knew that this had been part of the reason that he was so desperate for her to join him on this tour. She knew that Finn wanted her to figure out a way to make her dream work in Ohio. It was the thought that haunted her and kept her up at night. It was the dilemma that she would discuss with Puck if he were actually returning her phone calls. She started to stress about that too when suddenly Finn's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Rachel this is Coach Sparks, Coach Sparks this is my girlfriend Rachel Berry." Finn greeted as he shook the older man's hand.

In an instant she turned on her famous Rachel Berry mega-watt smile and said, "It' so great to meet you Coach Sparks." And she knew that both of them believed her even though as they were both going on and on about how amazing college life was at Miami of Ohio she couldn't stop thinking about if Puck was wondering why she had cancelled her class together. Even worse she wondered if he would be upset with her if he knew it was so she could come here with Finn.

- N - & - R -

"Hannah this is my friend Sam. Sam this is my pain in the ass little sister Hannah." Puck replied once Sam was in his truck and they were headed towards Mrs. Pena's house to clean their first pool.

Sam chuckled softly before saying, "I bet he's a bigger pain in your ass than you are his."

"I see you're officially his new smart friend. I didn't know he had one of those since him and Rachel aren't talking." Hannah replied ignoring the irritated scowl that Puck flashed her. "Do you know Rachel?"

"Yeah we're in New Directions together," Sam said, noticing that Puck had started to grip the steering wheel tightly. He had a feeling that Hannah might have an ulterior motive with this seemingly innocent question.

"She's awesome isn't she?"

"Rachel's pretty cool. She's really talented." He told her, doing his best to be diplomatic when he could see that Puck was probably silently considering pushing her out of the truck. "She teaches you dance right?"

"Yeah she's the best. I was supposed to have class today but she cancelled it for some reason which is why I'm having to hang out with you two today." Hannah continued to chatter pretending to be oblivious to the daggers that her older brother was shooting her. "Do you know why they aren't talking?"

"Seriously Hannah?" Noah fumed, squeezing the steering wheel even tighter so that his knuckles were about to turn white. "Stop trying to be fucking cute. Okay Hannah because I'm like two seconds from shoving your mouthy ass out of this truck?"

"I'm just making conversation with your friend Noah," she said, stressing the o just because she knew it got under his skin.

If she was being honest she knew she was being a prick, but she was mad okay? Ever since she realized that he was purposefully ignoring and dodging Rachel as though she was diseased she had found herself unusually angry with her older brother. Rachel was the coolest Jewish girl Lima had to offer and because of their relationship Hannah was cool by association. All of the girls at the community center envied the fact that Hannah hung out and had a personal relationship with Rachel.

Plus Rachel made Noah happy like legitimately, I don't run miles upon miles every single day happy. She missed the way her brother actually smiled after getting off the phone with her. She missed the way sometimes Rachel would randomly pop over, convince Noah to pull out his guitar, and together they would spend a couple of hours just playing music and laughing. It was special and something that she had quickly become accustomed to during their friendship. And she missed that. Even worse she could see how much Rachel missed it. It was the little comments and questions about Noah that made Abby wonder if maybe Rachel wasn't more interested in him than she was letting on. So yeah she was going to keep giving Noah shit until hopefully he figured it out and decided to stop ignoring and dodging Rachel. Only then would she go back to only being a minor pain in her brother's ass.

Sam didn't say anything until they were parked in front of Mrs. Pena's house and he was carrying some equipment around back. It was only then did he bend down and say, "You should go easy on your brother. He hasn't stopped talking to Rachel to make you miserable. He has reasons and they're more reasonable than you'd think. You'd be better off working on Rachel to fix this instead of pressuring him."

She stared up at him, a little wide-eyed, surprised at how honest he was with her. And for the first time she actually felt a little guilty about being so mean to Noah. That of course diminished a little when he demanded she hurry her mouthy ass up.

- N - & - R -

"I didn't know you planned on majoring in music in college," Rachel said as they walked up to what claimed to be the fine arts building. "I thought you were considering physical education."

"I am," he replied flashing her one of his trademark goofy grins. "But I thought you might want to check it out."

She feigned a gracious smile and nodded even though the knot that had been in her stomach all day seemed to twist even more.

"I mean how awesome would it be for us to go college together?"

"Yeah but you know there are some fine institutions on the east coast too Finn. I mean New York and Boston both have great universities who might be interested in your football prowess." She told him hopefully as they walked through the building that due to being summer was fairly empty. It was beautiful, but she'd been to Juilliard and Berklee and Miami of Ohio couldn't hold a candle to either of those places.

He sighed. "Yeah I know Rachel, but I mean we're from Ohio and I like living here. I read on the website that this place is great for music majors and that it offers way more opportunities for one-on-one help than the bigger schools do."

She knew that no matter what she said she wasn't going to convince him otherwise so finally she just managed a small smile and said, "I'll think about it." And she could tell by the look in his eyes that he thought he had her hook, line, and sinker. But the question was if she would really think about this place or not.

- N - & - R-

"I'm sorry about that shit with my sister," Puck replied as he checked the chlorine levels of the pool. "She's just pissed about this whole situation with Rachel. If you can't tell she's obviously of the belief that I'm stupid and in the wrong."

"I think she just values your friendship with Rachel. You have to admit you're an all around nicer guy when you're actually speaking."

"Maybe."

"And you know avoiding her isn't going to do anything but pusher her closer to Finn. Plus the fact that she has been calling and texting suggests that she's willing to chance you as long as you take your head out of your ass and let her actually catch you."

"Evans you're kind of a bossy motherfucker sometimes."

"And you're kind of a pussy." Sam shot back.

Puck's right eyebrow rose in his best imitation of The Rock before he finally just shook his head and replied, "The only reason I'm not throwing your ass in this pool right now is because you'd fucking wreck the interior of my truck."

"Yeah right it's because you know I'm right. Anyway you probably should text her before she makes a dumbass mistake. Mercedes told me that Rachel was heading up to Oxford to do a tour of Miami of Ohio with Finn. Apparently their coach is a dumbass and is recruiting Finn." Sam would have immediately turned this information over to Puck the moment that he climbed in the truck if Hannah hadn't been showing her ass. Instead he decided to save it for a moment when Puck wouldn't be able to maim Hannah in an outburst of anger and frustration.

Puck stopped what he was doing and just stood there for a minute. He looked up at the sky before cursing softly and running his hands over his Mohawk.

"So you're going to call her right?"

"Seriously Sam when and where do you and St. James hold your fucking meetings?" He said referring to the club that he had decided they were definitely members of. If he were on better terms with his little sister he might have suggested that she were a member too. "Are you doing it over Skype with St. James back in California now?"

"You're just pissed because I'm right and when you talk to her maybe lay it all out there because this fucking pretending you're okay being just friends when you punish her for it shit is getting old."

"So fucking bossy," Puck muttered as he went back to skimming the pool.

- N - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SO THAT WAS THE UPDATE. AND IF THE END OF THIS CHAPTER WAS ANY INDICATION RACHEL AND PUCK WILL BE ACTUALLY TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. WHOO! HAHA. UH THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT THEY CONVERSATION WILL GO SMOOTHLY. ANYWAY I HOPE THAT YOU LIKED THIS UPDATE. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO WRITE. I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO HAPPEN AND THEN I WAS LIKE BUT UH HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN? THANKS AGAIN FOR TUNING BACK IN. YA'LL ARE AWESOME. IF YOU HAVE FREE TIME YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT MY OTHER NEW STORY AND STILL IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. - KRSITINE. **


	8. TELL ME WHY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: ALL I CAN SAY I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS CHAPTER. THANKS FOR TUNING IN. - KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG (THOUGH THERE ARE SOME CHOICE CURSE WORDS)**

**DISCLAIMER: UH, NO. **

**CHAPTER EIGHT: TELL ME WHY**

- N - & - R -

"Puck," Rachel replied obviously surprised by the look on her face as well as her tone which somehow was even higher than usual. "I didn't know you were going to be here," she said as she pulled her towel up so that it was covering more of her bikini-clad body.

"I texted you last night to tell you I was coming by," he said as he knelt to check the pH levels of her pool. "Didn't you get it?"

"I got it. I just didn't know you would actually come around when I was here. Lately you've been seemingly making a point to come when I'm teaching my 7:30 tap class." She explained the surprise in her voice being replaced by the unmistakable sound of anger and hurt. She did her best to ignore the sound of her heart beating in her eyes. She was always impressed at how good-looking he was when he was in the middle of cleaning a pool. It was like every muscle he had was on display for onlookers to appreciate.

He frowned and stared at the ground as he steeled himself from the guilt that her tone put him through. Finally when he was sure that he wouldn't start profusely apologizing he took a deep breath and looked up, flashing her one of his most dazzling smiles. "Change in my schedule," he lied easily adding, "You look good in that bikini."

She quirked an eyebrow at him as she pulled the toilet up even further. If there was one thing she was not going to do it was let him flirt with her like everything was okay.

"The pool is all ready if you want to get in," he told as he stood and started to clean up the small mess he'd made. "I'm sure your muscles are tired after teaching back to back classes this morning."

"Is that why you're here? You wanted to check up on the reason I missed class yesterday." She stated matter-of-factly.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious."

"Yeah well it wouldn't be the first time you lied to me today."

He tensed at the sharpness of her tone. "Well if we're going to be honest then I should point out that I already know where you were today."

She blinked rapidly before swallowing her throat suddenly dry at the prospect of his judgment. "And?" She whispered softly all of the sharpness and anger gone in a blink as she remembered her selfish decisions yesterday.

"I want to know if you're really considering going to the Miami of Ohio with Finn."

"You want to swim?" She asked buying herself a moment to clear her thoughts.

He stared at her as she dropped her towel and revealed even more of the red and white striped bikini. If the situation weren't so fraught with tension he would have made a lewd comment about how there were a lot of things he'd like to do with her after seeing her in that bikini and swimming wasn't one of them. Instead he licked his lips and nodded silently as he pulled his shirt and shorts off as well as his beat up sneakers until he was standing there in just his navy boxer briefs.

"Are you coming in?" She asked almost huskily after jumping in and seeing that he was still standing there just staring at her practically slack-jawed.

He smirked and then jumped in. When he surfaced she was floating and staring up at the sky humming quietly what sounded like Otis Redding. He was struck by the thought that she always managed to be a vision while doing the simplest things.

"Stop staring at me," she murmured softly.

"Sorry I just was trying to figure out what you were humming," he lied though this time he couldn't help but think he did a better job at sounding convincing. "And if I remember correctly you love being stared at. Some might even allege that you get off on being stared at Rachel which I think is kind of sexy."

"You think everything is sexy."

"Not everything."

"Okay not everything but most things. You're like the perfect representative of the oversexualization of American youth. I, on the other hand, am a perfect representative of the narcissism that we instill in our young by assuring them that they are in fact special." Though she had started off attempting to make a simple joke, her voice had slowly gotten less lighthearted and more somber, some might even call her jaded.

"Are you okay?"

"The entire time I'm listening to Finn talk about how amazing Miami of Ohio is all I could think is what's Noah going to say when he finds out that I skipped class for Finn." She admitted as she continued to stare up at the sky not yet comfortable to make eye contact with him. "He's my boyfriend but all I can think is what is my best friend who will not even return one of my text messages or phone calls going to say when it gets back to him? Do you know how fucked up that is?"

He cringed slightly at her use of the f-word. While he'd gotten more comfortable with the thought and sound of her cursing it still somehow carried more harshness when it came out of her mouth. "Rachel I…"

"Let me finish," she demanded quietly as she rolled over to face him intently looking him in the eye before continuing, "I don't know why we keep doing this? I don't know what it is I do that is so wrong it deserves getting blocked out by you. I just don't. So if you're going to say anything it better be an explanation because I think that I deserve that before I answer your question about whether or not I'm going to follow Finn to Miami."

"I hate that you stand by him. It makes me sick to my stomach to watch you as you let him walk all over. Do you remember how we hung all of the time and then we just quit after we did Need You Now together?"

She nodded, smiling weakly at the memory of their duet. 

"Finn asked me to stay away from you, based it on some bro code shit. Anyway he said if he and I were going to be friends again that I needed to stay away from you. He's my oldest bro so I said yes even though the rest of the semester I missed you."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was a pussy for agreeing to that bullshit and I didn't want to face that or you."

"I'll tell him that we're friends and he just has to accept that."

"He won't. He'll pretend to, but he won't. Finn may look like a fucking peach, but after being burned he's willing to piss on whatever he views as his, you included."

"I'm not property. He doesn't own me. I make my own choices."

His eyebrow quirked and he sneered "Which is why you're going to follow him to Miami?"

"I didn't say I was."

"No. You didn't. But you also didn't rush to make sure that I knew that there was no way you would ever skip out on New York for a guy."

"Maybe I want the option of being able to choose a successful relationship over a career on Broadway."

He scoffed and shook his head before whispering harshly, "You would have to be in a successful relationship first."

"Get out," she said, motioning angrily towards the gate.

He nodded and didn't say anything as he pulled himself out and gathered his things. "Just ask yourself this Rachel if he loved you so much then why would he be willing take a scholarship from Miami of Ohio that barely covers a quarter of his tuition when SUNY-Stony Brook offered him a full ride?"

Rachel's eyebrows rose and her jaw dropped slightly.

"Yeah you're in a really healthy relationship. It's so healthy he doesn't even tell you about a scholarship offer that could keep you together while also letting you achieve your dream. Sounds like a real fucking keeper Rachel." He said in disgust before banging out of her backyard.

- N - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: TWIST MUCH? HAHA. SO FINN HAD ANOTHER SCHOLARSHIP OFFER THAT HE DIDN'T MENTION TO HER? I WONDER WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR THOUGHTS. THIS CHAPTER ENDED PRETTY TENSE. I WONDER WHAT YA'LL SEE FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER? - KRISTINE. **


	9. SUPREME AHOLE OF THE UNIVERSE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: YEP! AN ACTUAL UPDATE! I HOPE YA'LL LIKE IT! - KRISTINE. **

**RATING: PG-13 BECAUSE THERE ARE A SHIT TON OF F-BOMBS**

**DISCLAIMER: UH, NO. **

**CHAPTER NINE: SURPREME A-HOLE OF THE UNIVERSE**

- P - & - R -

"We need to talk Finn," Rachel stated calmly, channeling her best Goldie Hawn from the First Wives Club.

She wanted to scream and shout. She wanted to punch him and force him to admit his poorly hidden secret. She wanted him to feel the same sting of painful surprise that she had felt when Puck hurled the angry words at her. Still she didn't because she knew that if she lost her mind, he would somehow use her vulnerability against her. He'd do something like hug her while she was sobbing violently and next thing she knew it would be like all his sins were forgiven.

Finn nodded and blinked rapidly. When Rachel had sent him a text inviting him over he'd figured that they would go swimming. Or he was hoping that maybe he'd get lucky and they'd fool around until her Dads got home from work. The last thing he'd been expecting was for them to talk. "What's up Rach?"

"Do you think you're going to take Miami's offer?" She did her best to pose the question sweetly even though the words felt like acid coming off of her tongue. She kind of wished Puck would have been there to see all of the restraint that she was using. He'd probably smirk and ask if there was any popcorn as he braced himself for the verbal tongue lashing he knew that she would unleash the moment that Finn said the wrong thing. She stared vacantly for a second and gulped as she remembered the holes his eyes had burned through her that morning.

Shrugging as if he wasn't ecstatic about the offer, but rather that it was just part of the norm he replied, "Looks like it."

"Who all did you get offers from again?"

"Miami of Ohio was the only school that mattered. There were a couple of others but those schools aren't for me."

"What schools?" She asked practically blinking her eyes.

"Uh Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Stony Brook," he said purposefully omitting SUNY. He just hoped that the school was unknown enough that she hadn't heard of it. He would have probably been able to get away with it if it weren't for Puck already cluing her in on his secret. "What's got you so interested in my scholarship offers?"

"You know I want to go to Berklee or Julliard," she reminded him. She started to squeeze her knee to keep her anxiousness at bay. If she didn't keep her hands busy then she thought she might reach out and slap him for being such a selfish boyfriend. "You know my dream has always been to get out of Ohio where people think I'm a loser and that I'm lucky a guy like you would even give me the time of day. You've know that since the day you met me."

"Rachel, what's going on here?"

"I know about SUNY-Stony Brook offering you a full ride. I know that not only did you hide it from me, but you never considered it even though you know how badly I want to stay with you and accomplish my dreams."

"Rachel it's not like that," he stammered sensing one of her over the top freak-outs on the horizon.

Rachel glared at him. "I loved you. I considered staying in fucking Ohio for you. Fucking Ohio Finn!"

"What's wrong with Ohio?"

"Nothing is wrong with Ohio if the people of Ohio actually think your worthy of their damn time," she yelled, leveling him with a look so vicious, she didn't know she was even capable of it. "I don't understand how you could do this to me."

"Who told you?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," he said. "Who told you? Was it Puck? It was fucking wasn't it?"

"Why does it matter who told me?"

"Because I was going to tell you Rachel I just didn't know how," he lied.

She froze, not expecting that to be his defense. She stared at him for a second trying desperately to see if he was being honest with her.

He saw her face soften and let out a quiet sigh as he slowly moved towards her. He stared at her for a second before gently grabbing her hand. "I wanted to tell you. I really did. If you want me to go to SUNY-Stony Brook then I'll go there. I'll do whatever it takes."

"I would have listened to your reason for not wanting to go there," she pointed out.

Finn nodded. He did know that. Rachel might have often been accused of being self-involved but if you needed her to listen, well the she listened. She really listened. The kind of listening that was so rare that it actually caught you off-guard. That's why that wasn't the reason he told about her the scholarship offer. In the end it was because he didn't want to move to New York and if he pretended that the offer didn't exist well then he maybe he would be able to convince her to go to Miami with him.

"So does that mean you're going to actually consider SUNY-Stony Brook?"

He gulped and pushed away the little voice in his head that said no. "Of course," he told her before gently kissing her forehead.

"Great because I was looking into their program and really they have a chance to be something spectacular Finn," she said visibly brightening.

"So we're going to be okay?" He asked uncertainly. He was afraid to make a mistake. He knew how badly things could go if he made a mistake right this second.

She bit her lip and stared at him. She could tell that he was trying to read her. That he was afraid to piss her off and send her over the edge. That was when she realized that this entire time all he'd been trying to do was placate her. "I don't know. I'm not going to Miami of Ohio. I won't."

"So I have to consider moving to New York, but you won't consider staying in Ohio."

"No, I won't." She admitted. She knew that she should have felt guilty but she couldn't even try to muster it. "I'm meant for something bigger than local theater."

"What if you aren't?"

Her eyes widened in shock. She looked stricken. You would have thought that he smacked her.

"I'm just saying," he tried recognizing the mistake that he just made.

"You're just saying what Finn? That I won't ever amount to anything more than being the Jewish girl who convinced you that she was a better choice for you than Quinn Fabray. Fuck you Finn," she spat. "And you know what Puck is a good friend to me and the fact that you told him to stop hanging out with me," she paused and shook her head in disgust. "That makes you biggest prick I know."

He reached out and tried to grab her hand again. "Rachel you don't mean that and I just didn't want him to hurt you."

"You mean the way you do all of the time without thinking twice about it," she countered.

It shouldn't have made her feel better. It should have made her sick to have it out with him this way. It should have probably actually broken her heart the way Puck's angry words had. Instead all it really did invigorate it. It was like for the first time since Adele's death she was actually alive and it felt really damn good.

She shoved him away from her. "I can't believe I cancelled a dance class to go to that fucking school with you. I didn't even cancel class when the only woman to love me unconditionally other than my aunt died. Do you realize that? Do you know how fucked up that is?"

"Who are you Puck?" He asked in reference to all of the f-bombs she kept dropping.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes in a way that reminded her of one of her preteen dancers. "I'm just the girl who is sick of fucking acting like I'm lucky to be your girlfriend. I'm Rachel Berry and I'm going to perform on Broadway one day. You're going to regret this day for the rest of your life." She jabbed him in the chest and smiled when she saw him cringe. "Now please get the fuck out of my room."

- P - & - R -

Hannah groaned when she walked into the house and found Puck in the middle of lacing up his sneakers. "Are you going running again or to clean more pools with Sam?"

"Running," he murmured without bothering to look up as he stood and grabbed his iPod, taking a second to check the battery. "I'll be back in a little while."

"What happened to you?"

"What?" He asked finally locking eyes with her. It was then that he noticed that she wasn't just trying to upset him, but actually seemed to give a shit about him.

"I said what happened to you because you're not my big brother and I'm tired of seeing you run yourself into the ground." She explained silently trying to remember when all of this started.

He frowned feeling guilty for causing her stress. She should have been worried about trivial bullshit like if Justin Bieber and that Disney star he was dating were going to make it work. She shouldn't have been worrying about why it was he decided to run himself into near exhaustion every day.

"You wouldn't understand," he whispered his throat growing tight.

"You know she cares about you Puck. She really does. I just don't think she knows that you care about her as more than just a friend."

"What do you know?"

"I'm a girl aren't I? Plus I'm the only one of us who is talking to Rachel on a regular basis. You should call her. You should just tell her how you feel or some shit," she told him.

"Don't say shit," he scolded.

"You say it all of the time."

He smirked and shook his head a little wondering how the hell his little sister had turned into such a pain in the ass. "I'm also a guy you describe as a real asshole so I don't think following my example is a good idea."

"Point taken," she admitted. "Still you should just lay it all out there."

"I basically told her to fuck off this morning," he confessed softly. It didn't slip his mind that it was kind of fucking weird to be having such a deep conversation with his little sister who he honestly didn't know really gave a shit about his well-being or noticed how fucked he'd been lately.

"Of course you did," she muttered. "You're a moron."

"I know."

"Go fix it," she demanded. "Or else I'm going to tell Mom that you made the only decent Jewish girl in this town hate you."

He laughed mirthlessly. "You know Hannah I love you, but you're a real pain in the ass kid."

And then for once in his life Puck actually did what his little sister said because sometimes the kid was actually right.

- P - & - R -

Rachel was in the middle of fixing dinner when she heard the doorbell ring. She sighed and glanced at the clock wondering who it could be. When she saw Puck standing on the other side of the door she smiled unconsciously even though he had basically told her to fuck off only six hours earlier. Her smile turned into a frown when she took in how battered and bruised he looked.

He groaned. "Can I come in?"

"Of course, yeah, come in," she said motioning furiously for him to come inside. "Have a seat on the couch while I go get the first aid kit. When I get back you can tell me what the hell happened to you."

He nodded and sighed softly as he settled himself on the couch. His side was killing him. His head hurt. Still the fact that she'd greeted him with a smile somehow made it all better. He was really happy that no one could read his thoughts or he'd feel like such a loser. Still it was worth it because Rachel had actually greeted him, the supreme asshole of the universe, who pissed on her morning out of damn pettiness and sadness, with a fucking smile.

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: CAN ANYONE GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? I THINK SO. I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER. THERE'S LIKE TWO MORE LEFT. YA'LL ARE AMAZING. I REALLY CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YA'LL HAVE TO SAY. REVIEWS REALLY MAKE MY DAY AND GET ME EXCITED TO UDPATE. LAME I KNOW. STILL THEY'RE TOTALLY WORTH FEELING LAME. - KRISTINE. **


	10. HERE'S THE PLAN

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I THINK I KIND OF LOVE THIS CHAPTER. I KNOW I LOVED THE RESPONSE TO THE LAST ONE. I HOPE YOU GUYS ALSO FIND THIS ONE UP TO PAR. THANKS IN ADVANCE. - KRISTINE. **

**RATING: BORDERING ON R BECAUSE I BASICALLY TOOK A PAGE FROM THE DEPARTED AND THERE ARE 24 F-BOMBS IN THIS CHAPTER OR SOMETHING RIDICULOUS LIKE THAT**

**DISCLAIMER: HAHA, NO. IF I DID BELIEVE ME I'D INSIST THAT PUCK'S 'HAWK BE CLEANED UP AND THAT SOMEONE OTHER THAN FINN BE THE MALE LEAD. HELL IT'D PROBABLY BE ARTIE. **

**CHAPTER TEN: HERE'S THE PLAN**

- P - & - R -

"Who did this to you?" She murmured as she gently applied a cotton swab to the nick above his eyebrow.

He winced for the briefest of moments as the rubbing alcohol hit his cut. In his bank of things that he really fucking hated, this was definitely in the top five. Seriously he fucking hated rubbing alcohol burns more than hated when Hannah decided to change the channel in the middle of a fucking game. Shit seriously burned.

He sighed quirking his eyebrow as if to say you've got to be fucking kidding me with that question. "I think we both know the answer to that one."

She pulled back to stare at him for a second before shaking her head. "I'm sorry. He managed to figure out that you told me about his offer from Stony Brook."

"Yeah he might have mentioned that after laying me out."

"He laid you out?"

"To be fair it was only because he fucking suckerpunched my ass."

Puck had been in the middle of talking to one of his client's about a problem with their pump. He hadn't even realized that Finn had pulled in his front of his house. He hadn't the way Finn slammed his driver's side door. No, the first thing he heard was "you're such a fucking dick!" and that was only seconds before Finn suckerpunched him and sent him falling to the ground sans his phone. By the time he was able to collect himself Finn had gotten in a cool seven clean shots. It only took Puck landing three shots for Finn to quickly depart with his fucking tail between his legs like the bitch that he was.

She groaned softly and shook her head. "I didn't mean for you to be dragged into this."

"I put myself in this shit when I told you about the scholarship offer," he reminded her. "I knew what I was doing."

She hesitated before smiling weakly. "We broke up."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she said nodding and resisting the urge to laugh at how badly he was playing cool. "You and Jesse were right. I've spent so long trying to be who Finn wanted when really what I wanted should have been more important."

He nodded thinking that this was the first time in a while that Rachel was really making sense. "Annie would have been pretty fucking disappointed in you."

She rolled her eyes. Annie was her Aunt. She was Sociology professor at Boston College. She was fluent in 4 languages. She backtracked through Europe and Africa, the latter of which had scared her and both of her father's half to death. Most importantly outside of Adele she was Rachel's constant source of approval and inspiration. Early on during high school it had been Annie who provided her with pictures, dreams, and reasons why it was important she escape the Midwest for a life on the East Coast. It should be noted that she pushed hard for Rachel to pick Berklee over Julliard. Still Puck was definitely right about the fact that Annie would have been irritated to learn all of the hoops Rachel had been jumping through to try to keep Finn.

"And the fact that you're silent like a sniper on COD or some shit says we both know I'm right." He joked. "Still she'd be pretty fucking proud of you right now."

They sat there in silence for a second. Rachel was musing about how many turns her day had taken. First she felt like she'd been suckerpunched herself by Puck. Then she somehow managed to rediscover herself in bullshit when she told Finn off. Now sitting here with him in her living room she couldn't help but think that just sitting with him and having a conversation made her feel happier than most of her relationship with Finn had. I mean there had definitely been reasons why she thought Finn was her one true love. Mostly they had to do with the fact that he was tall and strapping like every good leading man should be. Still sitting right there with Puck it just kept hitting her like a ton of bricks that she had spent the last few months putting their friendship in jeopardy on a daily basis. Well that and the way Finn so boldly questioned whether or not she was really talented enough to actually make it on Broadway.

Puck on the other hand was wondering what the hell his next move should be. He knew that it was too soon to admit that part of the reason he'd been such a dick was because he liked her as more than just a friend. Because not only did he know it would freak her the fuck out, but he also thought it'd make him sound like a pussy. Seriously more than just friend, why didn't he just say I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be with you? That was actually pretty much how he felt, but was still too macho to admit that shit especially on a day when he mostly got his ass beat in his own front yard.

"Do you think I can do it?"

"Do what?"

"Make it on Broadway?" She whispered. She inwardly cringed at how vulnerable and pathetic she sounded right then.

Puck looked at her like she had just spouted a second head. "Rach you're the most fucking talented person I've ever met. Of course you're going to fucking make it. Why?"

"No reason," she lied. The last thing she wanted was to add fuel to the fire that was this sudden feud she'd caused between Finn and Puck.

"For an awesome actress you're a terrible damn liar," he pointed out. "Did that asshole say you weren't good enough?" He could feel his blood boiling and his cheeks coloring as his face burned up.

She shook her head no, "No he didn't say that exactly."

"Well what then what did he say?"

"He just kind of questioned whether or not I really thought I would make it," she confessed. She nearly closed her eyes in anticipation of the outburst she knew was right on the horizon.

He leaned forward and gently took her hands in his. "Look at me," he urged gently. It wasn't until their eyes were locked on each other that he continued. "You are going to be somebody so fucking important that everyone who ever thought they could put you down won't want to think about because it'll force them to think about how pathetic their own lives are. Don't ever fucking doubt that Rachel," he demanded. His voice was so low that it was nearly a growl.

She sniffled and chuckled awkwardly as she quickly swiped at her eyes. "I feel like every time I've seen you lately I've been crying."

"You kind of have," he told her smiling so that she knew it didn't bother him in the slightest. He reached up and wiped a stray tear that she had missed. His brows furrowed when he felt her body react to his touch.

Her eyes immediately locked onto the floor as she willed herself not to blush. She couldn't believe that she'd just shivered that way. It wasn't until she knew that she had her body in check again that she managed to look up again. She bit her lip when she found him staring at her intently.

"What did you do about the client you were on the phone with?"

"Oh shit," he muttered. "I completely fucking forgot to call them back."

She laughed softly as she watched him immediately pull out his phone. The moment the person on the other end answered he immediately launched into a slightly modified version of the story. In this one he didn't get suckerpunched by his former best friend, but instead tripped and nearly broke his phone.

- P - & - R -

"Jesse St. James speaking," he trilled with his usual dramatic flair.

He'd just finished a vocal lesson and was feeling particularly self-absorbed so he'd proceeded to go home and decide which headshot he should start carrying around with him. Nothing made him happier than looking at amazing pictures of himself. Well that and criticizing people to the point where they were nearly in tears, but were desperately attempting to hide it. That really made him happy too.

"Hey douche," Puck replied as he flopped back onto his bed.

He hadn't wanted to call Jesse. He really hadn't. Life without St. James busting his nuts worked for him. At least it did when Rachel was so fucking into Finn that her head was practically up his ass. Now that the two of them had parted ways and Puck had an actual shot with her, well now he was lost. He knew that he needed Jesse's help even if he didn't want to fucking admit it. So of course he called Sam and basically allowed him to take him into actually calling St. James.

Jesse grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Noah," he greeted stressing the "o" just enough that he knew Puck was probably rolling his eyes on the other end of the line.

"It's Puck."

"Rachel calls you Noah."

"Rachel also has fucking legs that go on forever," Puck reminded him. How they had developed some sort of Will and Grace like banter was really beyond him.

Jesse laughed quietly. "Touché," he agreed. "So I'm sure you didn't call just to chat though I always do find our conversations particularly scintillating. What's going on?"

"You haven't heard?" He asked surpised that Rachel hadn't informed Finn's biggest detractor of her news.

"Heard what?" Jesse asked suddenly a lot more interested in the conversation than his headshots.

"They broke up."

"No way," Jesse replied. He bit his lip to suppress the urge to grin and shout for joy just in case Puck was teasing him. He didn't put it past the former delinquent.

Puck smirked wishing that he could see the look on Jesse's face right then, "If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'."

"We are all technically dying unless of course you've discovered the ticket to immortality since I last saw you."

"I'm not fucking with you Jesse. They really broke up."

"When?"

"This afternoon," Puck explained. "Finn got a scholarship offer from SUNY-Stony Brook and wouldn't even consider it. Rachel and I got into a fight and I might have mentioned Finn's secret. She decided to grow a pair and confront him. It all went downhill from there."

"Did she slap him or anything?"

"We didn't exactly go into the details of the breakup. I'm a fucking man remember," he jokingly declared.

Jesse snorted loudly at Puck's declaration.

"He did suckpunch the shit out of me though," he added. "It was worth it though because Rachel finally is done letting him lead her wrong."

"So when are you going to make your move?"

"Who says I'm going to make a move?"

"Because a real fucking man would make a move especially after he fucking has been in love with a girl for almost two years," Jesse stated matter-of-factly.

Puck sighed noisily into the phone.

"Do you at least know how you're going to make your move?"

Puck didn't say anything. Instead he stared at the ceiling and silently prepared himself for Jesse's reaction.

He gasped loudly. "You don't even know how you're going to make your move."

"We both know that dating girls isn't exactly my strongpoint," Puck reminded him quietly. He gulped and was happy that he was by himself because he could feel his cheek start to redden. He rolled his eyes and ran his hand over his face, falling for Rachel had turned him into such a fucking girl.

Jesse nodded in agreement raising his eyebrows to punctuate the point. "I can't believe I'm going to say this but don't make a move."

"What?" Puck practically exclaimed in surprise. This was definitely not the advice he'd been expecting to receive.

"You've spent so long kind of chasing Rachel. Maybe you should let her chase you."

"Let her chase me?"

"Rachel is in love with you. She somehow doesn't see it. But it's pretty damn obvious that she is. Just keep doing what you're doing and I'll help her realize that the right guy has been waiting for her this whole time."

"What if it doesn't work?"

"It'll work," Jesse insisted. "I'm hurt you doubt me."

"If you're fucking with me St. James," he warned.

"Are you forgetting that I'm the one who sought you out and offered my guidance?"

Puck smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Work your grades and vocals," Jesse advised. "I'll do the rest."

"How long is this going to take?"

"Honestly I don't know, but you're going to apply to school on the East Coast and by the time you have an answer to where you're going to school you'll also have Rachel to kiss you senseless and celebrate with you."

"Are you sure you dig chicks?" Puck teased. "Because you know you and Hummel would have made a good couple."

Jesse blushed. He knew that Puck didn't know about his actual secret crush on Kurt, but still even having him joke about it made him feel self-conscious.

"Dude are you there? I was just kidding."

"I know," Jesse replied as he took a couple of deep breaths to calm his jittery nerves. "We agree that we'll keep each other posted?"

"Of course," he replied even though the thought of regular conversations with Jesse gave him a headache.

When they hung up the phone both of them without knowing actually took a moment to glance up at the ceiling and murmured that they hoped this shit actually worked.

- P - & - R -

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: TADA! ANYONE WANT TO MEET ANNIE? THAT COULD BE ARRANGED. THERE ARE PROBABLY LIKE TWO MORE CHAPTERS LEFT IN THIS THING. THIS CHAPTER ACTUALLY SORT OF THREW ME FOR A LOOP. WEIRD SEEING AS I'M THE ONE WHO WROTE IT. HAHA. YOU SEE ORIGINALLY I WAS GOING TO HAVE JESSE GIVE PUCK ACTUAL ADVICE AS TO HOW TO WOO RACHEL, BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT MAYBE RACHEL NEEDED TO BE THE PURSUER IN THIS SITUATION. ANYWAY I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. PUCK'S GOING TO BE SINGING A SOLO FOR RACHEL FAIRLY SOON. I WOULD LOVE SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT HE SHOULD SING! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! I HOPE TO HAVE ANOTHER CHAPTER OUT BY LIKE NEXT WEEK. CONVINCE ME TO MAKE THAT A REALITY BY REVIEWING AND INSISTING I GET IT DONE PLEASE. THANKS! - KRISTINE. **


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